1 that the rainbow is not formed by the refraction and reflection of the rays of light, &c. and were they to bring certain paffages of Scripture badly understood, and worfe interpreted, to authenticate their ordinances, how would they be looked upon by every person of common capacity ? Would fools be thought too harfh a name to be impofed upon them? But if they fhould have recourse to compulfion and perfecution to efta-. blish their infolent ignorance, would not madmen and butchers be deemed a proper appella tion? The more that monkifh fuperftition becomes contemptible, the more bishops are respected, and the clergy in general esteemed. They do. good in their profeffions; whereas the monkish fuperftition of foreign climates occafioned a great deal of mischief. But of all fuperftitions, that of hating our neighbours on account of his opinion, is furely the most dangerous! And will it not be granted me, that there would be. more fenfe and reafon in adoring the holy navel, the holy prepuce, and the milk, and the robe of the Bleffed Virgin, than to deteft and perfe cute our brother? CHA P. CHA P. XXI. VIRTUE is better than LEARNING. TH HE fewer dogmas, the fewer disputes; and the fewer difputes, the fewer calamities: if this is not true, I am much mistaken. Religion is inftituted to make us happy in this life and the next. But what is required to make us happy in the life to come? To be just; and in this? To be merciful and forbearing. It would be the height of madness to pretend to bring all mankind to think exactly in the fame manner in regard to metaphyfics. We might, with much greater ease, subject the whole universe by force of arms, than fubject the minds of all the inhabitants of one fingle village. But Euclid found no difficulty in perfuading every one of the truths of geometry; and why? because there is not one of them which is not a felf-evident corollary on this fimple axiom; "Two and two make four." But is it not alto altogether the fame with relation to the complicated maxims in metaphyfics and divinity. Eufebius and Socrates tell us, that when bishop Alexander and Arius the priest, began first to dispute in what manner the Logos or word proceeded from the father, the emConftantine wrote to them in the follow"You are great fools to difpute "about things you do not understand." peror If the two contending parties had been wife enough to acknowledge that the emperor was in the right, Christendom would not have been drenched in blood for upwards of three centuries. And indeed what can be more ridiculous, or rather deteftable, than to addrefs mankind in this manner?" My friends, it is not suffi. "cient that you are faithful fubjects, dutiful "children, tender parents, and upright neigh"bours; that you live in the continual prac"tice of virtue; that you are grateful, benevo"lent, and generous, and worship the Saviour "of the world in peace; it is furthermore re"quired of you, that you fhould know how 66 a thing may be begotten from all eternity, "without being made from all eternity; and "if you cannot distinguish the homoufion in "the hypoftafis, we declare to you that you are damned to all eternity; and in the mean "time we shall begin by cutting your throats?" If fuch a decifion as this had been presented to Archimedes, Poffidonius, Varro, Cato, or Cicero, what answer do you think they would: have faid of it? Conftantine, however, did not persevere in filencing the two parties; he might easily have fent for the chiefs of the difputes before him, and have demanded of them by what authority they difturbed the peace of mankind: "Are you, " he might have said, poffeffed of the genealo 66 gy of the heavenly family? What is it to you, "whether the fon was made or begotten, pro"vided that you are faithful to him; that you "preach a found doctrine, and practife that. "doctrine if you can? I have committed many "faults in my life-time, and fo have you: "I have been ambitious, so have you: it has "coft me many falfhoods and cruelties to at tain to the empire; I have murdered my ❝ nearest f "nearest relations that stood in my way ; but "I now repent, and am willing to make a"tonement for my crime by reftoring peace to "the Roman empire; do not you prevent me "from doing the only good action which can 66 poffibly make my former cruel ones, forgot"ten; but rather affift me to end my days in ¢ peace." Perhaps Conftantine might not, by this fpeech, have prevailed over the minds of the difputants, and perhaps he might rather be pleased with prefiding in a council in a long crimson robe, and his forehead glittering with jewels. This however opened a paffage to all those dreadful calamities which over-run the West from Afia. Out of every contested verse there iffued a fury armed with a quibble and a poniard, who inspired mankind at once with folly and cruelty. The Huns, the Heruli, the Goths and Vandals, who came afterwards, did infinitely lefs mifchief; and the greatest they did, was that of afterwards engaging in the fame fatal disputes. СНАР, |